WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson has first-hand experience of being at the tail end of public opinion. The Newark native often faces criticism for his highly technical and defensive fighting style, with critics branding the 27-year-old boring. With such a reputation, naturally, Stevenson relates to the struggles the eldest son of LeBron James, Bronny James, faces on a regular basis.

The James family heir has been under scrutiny because of the nepotism charge often associated with him. Critics suggest that everything the 20-year-old has achieved, including being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers as the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, is because of his father’s status in the sport rather than his own merits. Bronny’s underwhelming college performance at USC didn’t help his case either.

Commentator Stephen A. Smith has also added fuel to this narrative, claiming the Sierra Canyon alum’s presence in the NBA is largely due to his father. As you may have guessed, this didn’t sit well with the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, who confronted Smith a few days ago about his statements. Regardless, such criticism just goes to show the sort of expectation fans have from the rising NBA prospect.

Reflecting on the pressure it puts on his son, LeBron James told the New Heights podcast in January, “If you ever meet Bronny, then you’ll realize, ‘I’m such an idiot to look down on him or not want him to do great.’” The NBA legend highlighted that his son is the most “chill, easy, fun kid in the world,” noting his son lives his normal life and still has the motivation to play. “He didn’t have to. Bronny doesn’t have to play basketball at all. It’s not like he needs the money…”

The 40-year-old claimed that his son can do whatever his heart desires, “But he’s like, ‘This is my career, this is my goals, and this is my aspirations, and I want to play ball.’ This is something that I love.”  Since the interview, Bronny James silenced most of his critics on Thursday night, putting on a career-high 17 points against the Milwaukee Bucks despite the Lakers’ loss.

In the meantime, a user on X shared a clip of Lebron’s interview with the caption, “‘Not like he needs the money’ is the ultimate flex as a father 💪🏽 you can never hate on this part of Bron.” This seems to have caught Stevenson’s attention, who responded to the clip, showing support for Bronny James. “Tough,” Stevenson wrote. 

While Stevenson shows support for Bronny, he himself continues to be downplayed.

Vasyl Lomachenko’s manager claims Gervonta Davis is better than Shakur Stevenson

Vasyl Lomachenko’s future remains uncertain, but his manager, Egis Klimas, knows exactly who he wants his fighter to face—Gervonta Davis. While both Davis and Shakur Stevenson have expressed interest in sharing the ring with Lomachenko, Klimas made it clear who he believes is the superior and more exciting opponent.

“He’s [Gervonta Davis] a much better fighter I think,” Klimas told The Ring. “Shakur, I’m not gonna take anything from Shakur. Shakur is a very good fighter but he’s a bumper. He goes in a shell, he runs away. Tank comes to fight. More interesting fight. Much more intriguing fight.”

Although Lomachenko is recovering from lingering back issues, Klimas is hopeful that a matchup with Davis can eventually be made. For now, all eyes remain on Davis, who needs to redeem himself after a majority decision draw against Lamont Roach before the highly anticipated clash can materialize.

That said, it appears Shakur Stevenson knows exactly how Bronny James is feeling amid all the criticism from fans and experts alike. But the question is, what are your thoughts on the matter?